Three years after the introduction of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), a system in which local plans represent the starting point for decision making, the adoption of new local plans is slow. According to Savills research, only 24 per cent of local planning authorities outside London have adopted local plans post NPPF.

Now Housing and Planning Minster Brandon Lewis has set a deadline of 'early 2017' for all local planning authorities to produce a local plan. If authorities do not meet this deadline, says Brandon, they risk the Government intervening to "arrange for the plan to be written, in consultation with local people, to accelerate production of a plan".

Although no specific date is given as a deadline, the reference to early 2017 coincides with the fifth anniversary of the publication of the NPPF on 27 March 2012. This is a significant intervention, which underlines the Government’s determination to achieve local plan coverage, currently absent in large parts of the country.

As Susan Emmett, Savills Residential Research Director, points out: 'Local authorities must have up-to-date plans that reflect true housing need for the system to work. Our research shows that 76 per cent of Local Planning Authorities outside London do not have a recent (ie post 2012) plan in place, and that local authorities are failing to plan enough jobs and homes. Taking tougher action to ensure local authorities create plans will help deliver the infrastructure, new homes and growing economy we need.'

Further information

Contact Savills Planning or read more on UK development and planning in Savills Spotlight publication Beyond The Election: What Next For Planning?